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Insight from WFPD: Winter parking always a 'snow' dilemma

Posted on Jan 20, 2010 at 12:00 a.m.

With all the snow this time of year, it's hard to find a place to park your vehicle. Vehicles that are parked on the streets need to be moved on a regular basis, so the snow can be cleared off in order to keep them open, especially the snow emergency routes. The excessive snow leaves little room for vehicles to park or to be driven on city streets and drivers need to use extra caution with the narrowed streets and at intersections with high snowbanks.

The West Fargo Street Department works hard to keep our streets clean, and vehicles parked on the streets are obstacles that make it difficult clearing away snow. The street department is clearing snow around the clock during storms, keeping snow emergency routes open for the police, ambulance and fire. When a snow emergency is declared in the city, the Public Works Director will announce the declaration through the media.

West Fargo also has an automatic snow emergency declaration which goes into effect when there are 3 inches of snow on the roadway for more than one hour between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m.

What does this mean for the residents of West Fargo? If your vehicle is parked on one of West Fargo's emergency routes, the vehicle will be towed at the owner's expense when the declaration is in effect. West Fargo's snow emergency routes have signs notifying you that the streets are part of the route. The best advice is to move vehicles off the roadway when snow is predicted.

For West Fargo residents that park their vehicles on the street, please remember, West Fargo has a 72-hour parking limit throughout the city. The parking limit ordinance 13-1606, states that any vehicle parked on a street or alley in West Fargo shall not be parked in one place longer than 72 hours. The fine for parking more than 72 hours is $8. If the vehicle is not moved within 48 hours of the notice, the vehicle will be towed at the owner's expense.

West Fargo city ordinances 2-0401-2-0408 covers the issue of snow emergency routes. The city's Web site has a map of the route and all of the ordinances, visit it at http://www.westfargond.gov.

13-1606. Parking Limits. The owner, driver or any other person having under his control or charge any vehicle of any kind whatsoever, shall not cause, permit or allow such vehicle to stand or remain in any one place for a longer period than seventy-two (72) hours upon any street or alley in the city of West Fargo. The Public Works Director shall place signs on all street entrances to the city to notify the public of this restriction. SOURCE: Ord. 752, Sec. 3 (2005)